Gordon College Plans Yearlong Celebration of Founder’s 175th Birthday

WENHAM, MA—When A. J. Gordon taught the first class of 16 students in 1889 at his new college in Boston, it was with the intent of preparing men and women distinguished by intellectual maturity and Christian character, committed to lives of service and prepared for leadership worldwide.

Because of A. J. Gordon’s vision, Gordon College now ranks as one of the top liberal arts Christian colleges in the nation. To commemorate his legacy, a yearlong series of events, readings and profiles have been planned to celebrate A. J. Gordon’s 175th birthday, which is April 19.

“A. J. Gordon’s vision and legacy have sustained the College for many years,” said President R. Judson Carlberg. “As a result, it is exciting to be able to celebrate his 175th birthday all year through so many unique events with our community and neighbors. This year really marks an acknowledgement of all that God has done, and continues to do, through Gordon College.”

To launch the celebration, the Theatre Arts Department will present an original one-man show entitled “The Rough and The Holy.” The play focuses on Jesus as the friend of sinners and features professional actor Jeremiah Gamble, who is also cofounder of Theater for the Thirsty in Minneapolis. The performance will be held Wednesday, September 1, at 7 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. in Gordon’s Barrington Center for the Arts, and is free and open to the public.

Other birthday events include monthly celebrations on themes A. J. Gordon espoused—all of which the College continues to value. They include education, evangelism, global missions, servant leadership, social justice, theology and worship.

Each month of the 2010–2011 academic year will focus on one of Gordon’s seven themes, demonstrated through various events such as Homecoming October 8-10, Christmas at Gordon December 1-4, and A. J. Gordon’s 175th Birthday Student Symposium on April 14.

In addition to the events is a reprinting of Gordon’s autobiography, How Christ Came to Church, with a forward by Scott M. Gibson, the Haddon Robinson Professor of Preaching at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. Twelve current A. J. Gordon Student Scholars will also be profiled as examples of how A. J. Gordon’s vision remains alive in the students of Gordon College today.

For more information on the celebration schedule or to read profiles of current A. J. Gordon Student Scholars, please visit www.gordon.edu/ajgordon.

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Gordon College is a multidenominational Christian college of the liberal arts and sciences on Boston’s North Shore, offering majors in 36 fields with graduate programs in education and music education. Gordon is nationally recognized for excellence in academics and in character building, and ranks as one of the nation’s top Christian colleges. www.gordon.edu

Gordon College is one of the nation's premier Christian colleges and located just north of Boston. We offer students extraordinary access to leading-edge opportunities for intellectual, professional, and leadership development to address the increasingly complex challenges of a global society. Gordon stands apart from other outstanding institutions in New England by combining an exceptional education with an informed Christian faith.